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DACA advocates see efforts gaining steam in the House

Immigration advocates are increasingly optimistic that a deal can be reached in the House before year's end to provide permanent protections for young immigrants brought to the country illegally.

Both Democrats and Republicans point to a flurry of working groups and bipartisan discussions on a replacement for the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program as signs that a majority of House members want to see legislation on the floor and would vote for it.

Lujan Grisham said that Democrats would stay firm on a commitment to negotiate on government spending only when a path forward for DACA was resolved, pointing out that Republicans have enough votes to pass measures through the House.

"They are in control," she said. "If you need any help we are right here."

Veteran lawmakers who've been involved in previous immigration reform attempts are holding increasingly open discussions on the matter.

After a long talk on the House floor with Rep. Mario Díaz-Balart (R-Fla.), Rep. Luis Gutiérrez (D-Ill.) said "we're trying out to figure out how we get there."

"Sometimes in politics, you know how you get things done? When everybody sees the dam's gonna bust," said Gutiérrez, who has announced he will not seek reelection.

President Trump announced in September that he would rescind the Obama-era program, giving Congress a six-month period to replace the program that was enacted through executive action.

Ryan, who has pushed to keep a DACA fix separate from a must-pass end-of-year spending bill, has stuck to Trump's March 5 deadline for a DACA fix, despite increasing pressure from Republicans to sort it out this year.